From The Ground Up: An MHA AU Story
by BigRedKronos
Summary: Alternate Universe of My Hero Academia where Izuku Midoriya and Ochako Uraraka grow up together as childhood friends rather than meeting in UA High.
1. Chapter 1: New Neighbor

Inko Midoriya had finished her shift at work and began her trek home, starting with picking her son up from his babysitter. She knocked on her friend's front door.

A young woman about her age pulled it open and smiled. "Hey Inko! He's just inside watching that superhero special on TV again."

"Thank you, Koharu! I really appreciate it." The green haired woman smiled and stepped inside.

Right in the front room, a little boy with dark green hair identical to hers had his eyes glued to the television screen.

"Izuku?" She asked walking over to him. She sat down beside him and looked at the screen he was so attached to. "What'cha watching, sweetie?"

"All Might teamed up with Ectoplasm to fight a bunch of scary villains! The phantom squad!" He explained enthusiastically.

"Oh that All Might. Always there to help his friends save the day." She smiled. "You ready to go home, Izu?"

"Not yet, it's not done yet!" He whined.

"But you've already seen this. We have the recording at home." Inko said.

"Aww but Mom!" He turned to her with his big round sad eyes.

"No buts, Izu. You can finish watching it at home." She explained. "Now say goodbye to Koharu."

"Okay." The boy sighed, feeling defeated. He stood up and hugged Inko's friend for taking care of him for the day. "Thank you, Koharu-chan!"

"You're very welcome, Izuku-kun." Koharu smiled down at him, only hugging her as high as her thigh. "Come back anytime and you can watch whatever you want!"

Inko said her goodbyes to Koharu and walked Izuku to their apartment holding his hand. They noticed a moving truck parked nearby with men hauling furniture and boxes into the apartment door right next to theirs.

"Looks like we have new neighbors moving in, Izu!" Inko pointed. "Maybe they'll have a playmate or two for you."

Izuku watched the men moving the items from the truck to the apartment.

"Maybe we can go introduce ourselves!" His mother suggested. He just held on to her leg. "C'mon, sweetie. We'll go make them some cookies to welcome them."

"Okay..." Izuku said.

As they walked to their front door, they saw what looked like a husband and wife talking to one of the hired movers. And a little girl sat pouting behind the woman. Izuku peeked from behind his mom's leg curiously.

"Oh they have a little girl! How cute!" Inko smiled.

The couple seemed to hear her and turned around. "Hi! Yes this is Ochaco. She's not too happy we had to move."

Inko and Izuku looked at her again and noticed her round rosy cheeks had tear stains running down despite her irritated look. "Aww. Yeah we know that feeling all too well." Inko said. "My name is Inko Midoriya and this is Izuku." She ruffled her son's hair.

Ochaco turned to the boy and tilted her head as if it would help her get a better look. A little smile grew on her lips.

Izuku felt his face turn red and he hid behind his mother again.

"You must be busy right now. But maybe once you're settled in we could bring you some cookies or maybe a meal." Inko offered.

"Oh no no you don't have to do that." Ochaco's mother fanned it off.

"No it's the least we could do for you." Izuku's mom said. "I insist. Plus, Ochaco and Izuku look like they could be good friends."

Ochaco's mother smiled, her father also turned around. "Nice to meet you! We really appreciate that."

Ochaco's mom tried to protest to him but they quickly came to the grateful agreement. "Yes, thank you."

"What about tomorrow? If you're not too busy..."

"Sure! And where does Izuku go to daycare?" The husband asked.

"Just at a little school up the road a few blocks. I could show it to you."

As the grownups talked, Ochaco stood up and walked over to Inko's leg, where Izuku was still hiding. She tapped on his visible hand. "S'cuse me?" She asked.

Izuku slowly peeked around to her. "H-hi..." He stuttered.

Ochaco's smile grew big. "Hello! My name's Ochaco." She threw her hand to him in a handshake.

Izuku blushed again. "I'm Izuku..." He clasped her hand and tensed up. Then suddenly he felt his legs lift off the ground with his whole body. "AHH WHAT?!"

"OCHACO STOP!" Both of her parents shouted and rushed their way. Her father pinned the young Midoriya's feet to the ground with his hands.

"So so sorry about this!" Her mother quickly said. "I-it's just her quirk. She can't control it yet."

Izuku looked from her father holding him down over his shoulder to Ochaco who had a sad, guilty look on her face. Tears welled up in her eyes.

"No no! This is super cool!" He protested.

She looked up at him and wiped her eyes. "R-really? I was scared i-it would scare you away..."

"N-no! I love people who have quirks! Especially the heroes!" He smiled.

Ochaco's already rosy cheeks blushed. "L-like Thirteen?"

"Definitely! She's way cool when she saves people with her black holes sucking up rocks and stuff the bad guys use. Then heroes like All Might stepping in to finish the job!" He cheered.

Ochaco smiled bigger. "All Might is super cool."

"One moment, baby. Tap your fingers together." Her mother instructed.

Ochaco nodded and placed all her ten fingers together. Izuku felt gravity pushing on him again. "You won't float away, right?" The father asked.

"N-no sir. Thank you." He half-bowed.

"Just, you two be careful. Go play indoors."

"Can I see your room, Izuku-kun?" The little round-cheeked girl asked.

Midoriya tensed up with another blush. "I um... Y-you might not like it..."

"Oh come on!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards his front door.

The Uraraka's almost leapt at them again seeing her grab him so quickly, out of habit. "Phew." They sighed.

"Does your son have any quirk we should know about?" Mrs. Uraraka asked.

"Not that we know of yet. We visit the doctor every so often. Izuku wants nothing more than to be a hero with a cool quirk. I'm hoping that day comes... But for reference, I can levitate small objects, and Izuku's father can breathe fire." Inko explained.

"Where is his father?" Mr. Uraraka asked.

"He's taken up work overseas... He's gone too much. Izuku needs more than just me in his life because he's starting to get bullied..."

"Well, you've got nothing to worry about if our daughter is with him. She's one tough cookie." Mr. Uraraka proudly said.

"Oh that reminds me. How do you like your cookies?"


	2. Chapter 2: Friendship Pact

Ochaco stood in silence with her mouth partially open staring at Izuku's room from the doorway. She noticed the endless amounts of All Might merchandise as well as a few other professional-hero souvenirs.

Izuku lowered his head in embarrassment.

"I like it!" She finally said with a big smile.

"Y-you do?" Midoriya looked up at her by his side.

"I do. I've got some hero stuff too." She blushed. "They're just so cool. They do so much to protect people, save them, and fight the bad guys."

"I want to be one someday..." Midoriya said walking up to one of his posters.

"Hey, me too!" Little Uraraka cheered. She walked up to him and playfully punched his arm. "Maybe we can do it together."

Izuku's face turned a deep red. "I-uh we, what?"

She giggled and grabbed his hand again. "Wanna play 'heroes'?"

"You...you want to play 'heroes' with me?" He asked.

"Yeah! You be All Might, the Symbol of Peace!" She said lowering her voice in attempt to impersonate the hero. "And I'll be Thirteen!"

"W-who are the villains?" The boy asked.

"We make them up, silly!" She smiled. "C'mon!" She once again grabbed his hand and dragged him outside.

"W-wait I need something All Might would wear!" He protested.

Ochaco let go and let him put on a jacket that resembled the muscular hero's torso. She smiled big. "I should get my Thirteen helmet!"

"You have a Thirteen helmet?!" He asked excitedly.

"Yeah!" She cheered and ran out. He followed after.

Once they had gotten all their desired hero costume pieces, they stood together in the outside apartment courtyard. A decent sized patch of grass with a small playground. Midoriya shyly put his head down feeling the weight of standing out in public with his All Might hoodie.

Ochaco grasped his hand again with her head turned to his face. "Izuku-kun?" She asked.

Izuku looked up hesitantly to meet her gaze. She gave him a warm smile with her teeth, showing a few missing from her roudy past, then slipped on her Thirteen hero helmet with her free hand still looking at him.

"Are you ready for the battle, All Might?" She asked in as best of a Thirteen voice as she could pull off. Either that, or the Thirteen helmet had a voice changer inside.

Izuku slowly began to smile. Their hands let go and he put his hoodie up, which resembled All Might's signature blonde hair. "Ready, Hero Thirteen!" He said proudly.

Ochaco giggled through the helmet but then quickly got into character. "Oh no! A big strong villain has just broken into the bank! And he's got a bunch of henchmen!" She ran off.

Izuku giggled and jumped into character running after her. "Fear not, my friend! You make sure that villain doesn't escape! I'll hold off those goons!"

"AHH!" Ochaco yelled with Izuku.

The two friends ran and threw punches together at their imaginary foes side by side, laughing and cheering and encouraging each other for an hour. Although to Midoriya, it both felt like a long good time, and still not enough. He never had a friend to play with like this. His only other friend had become distant to him ever since his quirk started to show.

Speaking of which.

As Uraraka and Midoriya sat down satisfied with their victory together with their backs resting against the swingset, a blonde haired boy and two other boys following approached the park, walking right up to the two.

"What are you doing, Deku?" The blonde boy asked. Although the question felt more like an assault than curiosity about their activies.

"Oh hey, Kacchan!" Izuku said nervously. He tried to direct attention off. "Th-this is Ochaco-san. Sh-she's new to my apartments and-"

"Why is she dressed up like the weakest hero?" The boy asked raising his eyebrow at her. His two followers snickered.

"Thirteen actually isn't technically the weakest!" Midoriya blurted.

Ochaco pulled her helmet off, revealing her less than pleased look. "Izuku-kun, who are these bullies?"

"Kacchan's n-not a bully. W-we're friends."

"Are you kidding me, Deku? Each of us have quirks now. We all plan to be heroes and kick ass."

"Don't say that word." Ochaco glared.

The boy glared right back. "But you don't. Everyone on earth has powers now, but not you! Being friends with you is like being friends with trash. You'll just slow me down."

Ochaco quickly stood up."You listen here, you jerk!"

"Shut up!" The boy shoved her back down.

Izuku suddenly had an impulse he'd never had before, especially on his distanced friend. He got up and shoved him back, then immediately realized what he just did. He then stopped himself from apologizing and rather turned it to the guilty one. "A-apologize, Kacchan!"

The blonde boy growled in pure anger. "I don't like this new you, Deku. Weaklings like yourself don't deserve power. There's a reason you don't have any!" He charged Izuku with his hands outstretched and open.

Ochaco got back up and got between them, she slapped the blonde across the face before he could touch either of them.

"Ow! What the-?!"

Suddenly, he felt his body lose all feeling of the grass beneath him. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!"

"D-don't use that language!" Ochaco shouted, in shock that she activated her quirk again. Every time it's happened, she forgets in a panic how to stop it.

The boy began to float off the ground. "Hey! Put me back!"

His two lackies looked at Ochaco in horror and turned the other way in a frantic run.

"Get me down from here you stupid-"

"OCHACO!"

Little Uraraka lowered her head hearing the all too familiar sound of her father rushing to her. He grabbed the bully's ankle and pulled him down to the ground. "Put your fingers together, Ochaco." He ordered.

Ochaco gave a low sigh with her head still lowered and pressed her fingers together.

"Control your daughter! She tried to kill me!" The boy yelled. "But I'll be ready next time! No more tricks, you losers!"

"Excuse me, son?" Mr. Uraraka stood up tall and defensively.

"You heard me, old man!" The blonde shouted then stormed off.

After a moment of silence, Mr. Uraraka turned toward the two shaken friends. "Inside, young lady. Now."

Ochaco raised her head and grasped Izuku's shaking hand one more time. "I'm really sorry... Can we still be friends?"

Izuku looked at her and after a brief moment, he gave a small supporting smile. "Yeah. Friends."

She smiled back then dropped it as she let go and walked up with her father.

Young Midoriya couldn't help but feel guilty about the day. His first real friend in a long time and yet their first day was rocky. But there was something with her that gave him a feeling he's never had before: Confidence.


	3. Chapter 3: Barriers

Inko and Izuku Midoriya walked slowly up the stairs of their apartment. Both were fighting back tears ever since their last visit to the doctor less than an hour prior.

Izuku clutched his mother's hand tightly and whimpered. She was speechless.

She unlocked their front door and walked inside. Meanwhile, Ochaco watched from her window. She wanted to play with Izuku but she could see they were feeling down.

Inko collapsed on the couch after the long, emotional day while young Midoriya shuffled to the family computer and turned on his favorite videos of All Might.

Mrs. Midoriya sat up when she heard a soft knocking at their door. She waited for a moment then the knocking came back louder and longer. Izuku didn't move from his seat at the computer screen.

She stood up, walked to the door, and peaked through the peephole. She could only see the top of a light brown head of hair. A light smile grew on her face knowing who it was.

Ochaco nearly rushed in as the door opened. "Mrs. Midoriya-san! I'm sorry. C-can Izuku-kun come and play?"

Inko chuckled but frowned. "Well sweetie, today's just not been a good day for Izuku... We found something out at the doctor's today..."

Ochaco immediately ran for Izuku, whom she noticed sitting in a big chair in front of a computer screen. "NOOO!" She shouted and tackled him, holding him against the chair in a tight hug. "I don't want anything to happen to him!" She cried.

Izuku groaned but didn't say anything as he sniffed from all the crying he was on the verge of doing.

"Ochaco-san, sweetie, Izuku isn't hurt or sick. He's..." Inko stopped herself. She bit her index finger and walked away. "Y-you're welcome here if Izuku is okay with it."

Ochaco let go of her friend and looked at him. "Izuku-kun? What happened?..."

Izuku didn't say anything. He just turned the volume up on his video playing. It happened to be the very footage that gave All Might the recognition of the world. Carrying many people at once to safety while boldly assuring them all that everything would be okay. His eyes glued to All Might as tears finally began to fall.

"D-d-do... Do you think I could ever be... l-l-like All M-Might?..." He sobbed.

Ochaco put her arms around her friend again. "Izu... I know you can be just as good as All Might is."

Izuku continued to cry against her. "E-e-even without a... a quirk?"

She quickly sat up and looked in his eyes. "Izuku-kun?..."

He only shook his head as his cheeks stained with tears. Inko watched them with tears of her own. Ochaco buried her face against her hurt friend.

After a moment, she raised her head and kissed his cheek. He abruptly stopped breathing altogether. "Izuku-kun. I still believe in you. You're still cool to me, quirks or no quirks."

Inko smiled through her tears, doing her best to keep silent.

"Th-thank you..." Izuku said calming down.

"I really mean it, Izu." Ochaco said. She wiped tears from her eyes with her now gloved hands, then started wiping his. Due to the situation, she felt impressed not to do anything hero related with her friend for a while, but she got an innocent idea.

"Hey?" She asked him.

Izuku looked at her again, a light blush gathered on his cheeks finally recognizing how close they actually were together on the computer chair.

"Knock knock." She smiled.

He looked at her, puzzled.

"You know knock-knock jokes, Izu. I tell them to you sometimes." His mother said behind them.

He turned back to Ochaco. "Ohhh. Who's there?"

"Doctor."

"Doctor who?"

Ochaco threw her arms up. "Moisturize me, Doctor!" She giggled.

Izuku didn't get it completely but he did giggle with her. While Inko really doubted whether Ochaco knew what she referenced but gave a smile.

"What has four wheels and flies?" She rhetorically asked him. "A garbage truck!"

This time the two friends giggled harder, understanding that joke more fully. Inko smiled much bigger and got up to go make some snacks. Ochaco continued to tell jokes her father taught her, cheering both of them up and taking their minds away from earlier.

After some time, their laughter died down as Ochaco couldn't remember any other jokes. Their attention turned back to the computer screen to an interview a talk show host had with none other than the hero All Might, dressed in a big yellow two piece suit.

"It's great to have you on the show, All Might." The host said with a big, warm smile.

"Richard, it's great to be here! I always jump to any chance I get to speak to the fans and future heroes!" The large pro-hero proclaimed.

"One thing many have asked over and over, and have submitted to us over and over, is how does one become a hero? What is your advice for that?" The host asked.

"Oh my. That's a great question, indeed. Seems to be a question on everyone's mind! Haha!" All Might said. "First I'd want everyone to know that they can be a hero if they so desired. It's all in choice. Next, the life of a hero... It's not for everyone. Many come to want it but few make it because it's one of the jobs in society that taxes you every minute."

Izuku sat up to listen.

"Sure, you get fame and maybe some wealth. Great interviews like this! And legions of adoring fans in support! But the darker part of a hero's life goes so unnoticed. From the moment you decide you want to be a hero, all forces of darkness and evil no matter what form they may take, will be against you." All Might explained.

Izuku lowered his head.

"What about for people who don't think their quirks are strong or cool or useful?" The host asked.

"Well it's the individual's choice. Unfortunately, life is harder on those who may not have the most astounding quirks to watch. But... it's not impossible. If you have desire to be a hero, that determination alone could carry you farther than even the strongest of characters."

Ochaco smiled and squeezed her friend's hand in support. "Whatever it takes, let's be heroes together, okay?"

Izuku smiled back to her. "Okay."


	4. Chapter 4: Disconnect

This was it. The first day of middle school for Izuku Midoriya and Ochaco Uraraka.

They've been the best of friends for years now, always supporting each other through thick and thin. Now only a few more years to prepare before they could officially begin their careers as professional heroes. One more slope to traverse.

Izuku was more than ready by the time Ochaco knocked on the front door. He rushed over and beat his mother to it. "Sorry, Mom but I already know who it is!" He smiled and looked as he opened it.

"Hey, Deku!" Uraraka said cheerfully with a big smile and her uniform on. "You ready?"

"You know I am!" Midoriya smiled back in his own school uniform.

Over the years, Ochaco grew tired of Midoriya's childhood friend-turned-bully Bakugou picking on him and calling him names. Especially Deku. She decided to turn it around and make it a good thing for Midoriya, and so it became her friendly nickname for him.

"Great! Let's get going, shall we?" She offered him her hand which had a pink glove over it. That wasn't a subject she liked to dwell on.

He gladly took it and they began their walk to the bus stop. "Love you, Mom!" He called back.

As they stood waiting for the bus, various people around them noticed their hands clasped and gave smirks and smiles. "I wonder what they're thinking." She whispered in his ear.

Izuku simply shrugged.

He noticed a figure in the corner of his eye and turned his head to see his old bully whom he still called Kacchan. He was sitting in silence wearing a big black jacket over his uniform and with his usual scowl on his face. "What are you looking at, loser?" He asked him in a low tone, but just as much threat to it as if he was yelling.

"Ignore him." Ochaco reminded Izuku and gave him an equally threatening look back.

Bakugou shook his head. "I bet you're not so tough without your dumb girlfriend."

Other people around them got a little nervous.

Ochaco's grip tightened. Izuku gulped.

"First chance I get, you're dead, Deku."

Ochaco turned to him but Midoriya blocked her. "D-don't say anything, Uraraka..."

She frowned and turned back.

The bus-ride to school wasn't very different from the bus-stop. A lot of glaring and silent threats, from Bakugou to Izuku and from Ochaco to Bakugou. "One of these days we've got to settle this." She whispered angrily to her friend.

Once at school, the two friends waited until Bakugou disappeared. "Well... I still wish we had the same classes together. It stinks they split us up." Uraraka sighed.

"We've known for a few weeks. It'll be okay, Ochaco-san." Izuku gave her a smile. "We make a great team but maybe this will help us grow i-if we're separated. A-at least for now."

"Right..." She sighed again. "Maybe you're right." She playfully punched his arm. "I'll see you after school. We'll meet back here. Deal?"

"Okay. Deal." He said. "Good luck!"

"Good luck, Deku-kun! Now get to class!" She turned and ran the other way waving back.

"Right..." Izuku waved.

He walked to his classroom and sat down. He glanced up to look at his teacher and fellow classmates around him and stopped completely when he met eyes with none other than Bakugou.

Bakugou snapped a pencil with one hand as they met eyes. From the moment Midoriya entered the classroom oblivious to his presence, he didn't take his hateful eyes off.

"Oh, need a pen, man?" A student asked quickly placing one on the blonde bully's desk.

He picked it up still eyeing Midoriya and growled lowly as Midoriya could see the pen melting in his hand.

Izuku gulped hard and tried to focus. Thankfully it was just the first day and not much was taught, because he didn't nor couldn't listen to anything other than his foe sitting adjacent to his own desk.

"It's never too late nor too early to start thinking about your plans for the future." Their teacher said. "I want you all to be thinking about who you want to become in the future as you journey through these years in school. Plan for where you'd like to be for high school and plan to submit applications for any benefits you can get."

Izuku heard that and began to write down a few ideas in his journal. "To be a hero." He sat in thought. He was unsure how, but he was still building confidence that he could still be a hero despite being born quirkless.

He wasn't actually sure about everything. He wanted to be a hero more than anything but his friend Ochaco was the one who supported him through it to this point. Thinking about it now, as much as he appreciates her, he feels more like she's been carrying him rather than supporting. And maybe that was his fault. Maybe it's best if-

"Quit your damn muttering, nerd!" Bakugou hissed at him.

Izuku sat up straight in his chair with a face as red as a tomato. A few students around him were giving him funny looks.

Once their classes had finally concluded for the day, he ran out as quick as he could to his meeting place with Ochaco. He stood and looked around for her. "Guess she's running behind." He said to himself.

As soon as he turned the other way to look, he saw Bakugou approach him. Before he could react, the blonde grabbed his collar. "You listen to me, Deku. What I said was true. I heard you mumbling about that bitch. I dare you to do something without her and see how it goes. Tomorrow night. The garden park. Be there at sundown. And don't bring her." He threatened.

They both noticed Ochaco marching their direction. Bakugou stared at her and let go. "You better come." He hissed again before walking the other way.

"What did he do to you?" She asked.

"H-he... He didn't do a-anything." Midoriya said. "Just the usual threats..."

He suddenly felt disconnected. He wanted to tell her everything. But the more he thought about it, the more Bakugou was right. And it prevented him from telling her.


	5. Chapter 5: Fight in The Park

Izuku laid on top of his bed with his eyes glued to his clock. He kept glancing out his window watching the sky turn from blue to pink to orange and darken.

"I'm doomed..." He said to himself.

As he stared out his window, watching the sun disappear under the silhouetted horizon, his breathing stopped. "I need to go. I need to show Kacchan I'm not weak and dependent on Ochako-san." He sighed. "But I don't want to die..."

Izuku slowly opened his bedroom door and tiptoed through the apartment to the front door and outside. He continued to move quietly and still as he passed the Urarakas' apartment door.

Then he crept down the stairs and ran out of their complex.

Not long after a few minutes of jogging, he found the neighborhood garden park full of patches of flowers and trees. Bakugou stood in the center by a fountain that had been turned off for the fall. His back was to Midoriya but he heard him coming.

"You've told me you want to be a hero." He said.

"Y-yeah. I did."

He turned around. "You're even more pathetic than ever, Deku. Real heroes ain't just the most powerful. They're the most independent. Ever since balloon girl moved in, you've never left her side."

Izuku exhaled and took a step closer. "This isn't about her."

"Is that so?" He looked around. "Who am I to trust that she's not hiding in the bushes waiting for something to happen so she saves you again."

"She's right to stand up to you, Kacchan." Izuku stated. "But it's just you and me."

Bakugou turned back to his childhood friend. "This is how it should always be. Just you. And me." He cracked his knuckles.

"Um... Have you learned control of your quirk yet?..." Midoriya backed off.

"Doesn't matter. I'm gonna crush you! And I expect you to fight back! Real heroes put up a fight!" He yelled as he charged forward with his hands behind him unleashing explosions to propel him faster.

Izuku quickly reacted, evading the charge by somersaulting to the side. Bakugou stopped and planted his feet on the grass, burning it underneath. "What did I ever do to you, Kacchan?!"

Bakugou didn't answer. He charged towards him again, anticipating another evasion.

Just as Midoriya again evaded to the side, Bakugou twisted himself in midair and kicked him in the ribs.

Midoriya hit the ground hard, feeling the wind knocked out of him. He struggled to do much else than focus on gaining his breath back.

"It's a lot of things, you jerk." Bakugou hissed and marched to him. He kicked him again, this time in the gut. "First, you never just left me alone to deal with things myself!"

He picked up Izuku who could only groan, by his shirt collar. "Then when she arrived..." He roared out and spun Izuku around, letting go and watching him fall several meters away. He charged him yet again. "YOU ABANDONED ME!" He pounced up and threw himself hands-first on to Midoriya, unleashing explosive power on to his back, burning his shirt away and turning his skin pink.

"I-I..." Izuku gasped and groaned. "K-Ka...K-K-Kacch..."

"You'll never be a hero, Deku! Not just because you're weak! But because you couldn't help your friends if you tried!" Bakugou yelled. His voice cracked and Midoriya felt raindrops hit his back.

"Damn you, Deku! Damn you..."

"Alright. That's enough."

Bakugou looked up to a figure with a black flowing cape, a helmet that ended in a point above his head, and glowing green eyes.

"Get him up, kid. You're both in big trouble." The hero ordered.

The blonde glared and stood up not touching Izuku.

"Pick him up, kid. As I said, you're in enough trouble as it is."

"I'm not touching him..." He hissed.

The hero sighed heavily and suddenly came at him with his fist.

Bakugou felt a light punch hit him in the shoulder but suddenly fell to the ground completely numb.

"Police station, this is pro-hero 'Crow-Man'. I found the vandalizers. I think there's more to the story but I'm bringing them to the hospital. One may be suffering from quirk-related burns and the other... Ehhh I paralyzed him." He said to a small communication radio in his glove.

Sighing again, he picked up both of the unconscious and carried them off.

~~~~~~

"C'mon, sweetie. We should get going." Mrs. Uraraka said.

"No! I want to be here when he wakes up!" Ochaco whined as she sat beside Midoriya laying in a hospital bed still not having awoken from the eventful night before.

"We don't know when that will be. Let's just go. You'll see him again tomorrow." Her mom said.

It was then that Izuku started to stir. Inko, his mother, stood up from her chair and walked closer to his face.

"Izu?..." She asked.

"Ugh... Yes?" He moaned and rubbed his eyes. When his vision came in full, he looked down at his body. His entire torso was bandaged up and his back was very sore. He winced as he tried to sit up.

"Don't move. You're not ready to sit up yet." She instructed.

"Izuku-kun!" He heard a familiar voice address him.

"Hey, Ochaco-san." He smiled at her.

"You missed school today. B-but I could help you do your homework to make up." She volunteered.

"Um...no. No thank you, Ochaco... I'm fine." He said softly.

"Well... I was really worried about you. I feel so stupid I wasn't there for you."

"Ochaco it's fine..."

"No, you can't just go around listening to that bully. You went out and let him beat you up and you didn't tell anyone?!"

"OCHACO!" He snapped but quickly caught himself in his throat and coughed.

The sudden outburst silenced her as she looked at him. "Izuku... What happened last night?"

"I don't... I don't want to talk about it, okay?"

"Ochaco, just let him have some space for now." Her mom said putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Come back anytime you want." Inko reminded her. "But yes, it's probably best if Izuku gets some more rest."

Ochaco gave him a sad look and reluctantly walked out the door followed by her mother.

Inko waited for a moment. "Izuku... She's not the only one concerned with what happened. I'd like to know too... As your mother."

Izuku looked down. "I-it feels like a lot to explain."

Inko sat down in Ochaco's chair by his head. "Please, son. I'm here for you."


	6. Chapter 6: Not Created Equal

Once Midoriya regained enough strength to return to school, it went along as smooth as before. Bakugou didn't say a word to him, only sitting in his desk with his jacket on over his uniform and the hood up.

It was later in the evening when Izuku was studying in his room when he heard a knock at the door. "Hey Izuku-kun? I-it's Ochaco."

"Oh... Hey Ochaco-san." Izuku said.

It hurt for her slightly to hear her best friend greet her so nonchalant. They were so used to each other that they had all kinds of greetings, even nonchalant sounding ones. But this felt more...not-excited. Still, she felt she was just being sensitive and ignored it. "What'cha studying?"

"Just the assigned reading for history. I like that they added in the more recent decades when mankind started developing quirks." He smiled and turned to her.

"Ah. Yeah that is pretty cool..." She walked closer and sat on his bed.

"How's your day been?" He asked.

"It's been alright. I still wish we had the same class. I could sure use your enthusiasm for school." Ochaco smiled.

Izuku chuckled. "Yeah.."

"How's your um... How's your body doing?"

"My what?... Oh OH! Sorry." He gave a light blush, which she quickly returned and peeped. "I'm feeling a little sore but otherwise okay."

She scooted across his bed closer to him. "Could you show me how it is?"

His blush returned.

"D-don't make this awkward, Midoriya!" She frowned.

"Sorry sorry!" He panicked then quickly lifted up his shirt over his head. His bandages at this point had been recently removed, revealing his healing but still scarred back and sides.

Ochaco gave him a sad look then glanced back to his burns.

"Ochaco, please don't think anything of Katsuki." He requested.

She immediately sat up offended. "Izuku Midoriya, he's the one that did this to you! His bullying has gone too far!"

"I deserved it! He didn't bully me that time!" He defended.

Her look turned to concern. "You don't deserve what happened that night at all... And why would you say this wasn't bullying?!"

"It was a fight! Real heroes get into fights! Sometimes even fights they know they'll lose!" Izuku raised his voice, it cracked with emotion as a result.

"Izuku why would you get into a fight with someone you could never beat?!" She shouted back.

"BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HEROES DO!"

"YOU'RE NOT A HERO AND YOU AREN'T GOING TO BE!"

He sat back first staring into her eyes in shock. They lowered from her eyes down to his carpet. "Please leave me alone, Uraraka..."

Ochaco was also shocked by what she said in the heat of such a moment. Even she was questioning if she meant it.

"Please get out." He asked.

"I'm... Oh..." She quickly stood up and rushed out covering her mouth.

Izuku watched her run out his door and heard his apartment door slam.

Not long after, his mother knocked on his partially opened door. "Izu? Sweetie?"

He was still sitting at his desk but wasn't studying, just staring off into space in thought.

Inko stepped inside and walked up to him. On his personal laptop, which he had opened out of habit, was the classic footage that debuted the hero All Might as the Symbol of Peace. "Izuku?..." She put her hands on naked shoulders.

Her heart broke as she heard the faint sound of a sob coming down from her son.

"M-Mom?... D-Do you think I could ever...be a hero?... L-like All Might?..."

She couldn't hold back now, she rolled his chair around and threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. "I'm so sorry, Izuku... I wish things were different..."

Mom...that's not what I need to hear from you...

~~~~~~

It was the next day, Saturday. Izuku had woken up early and taken the bus to the city library. He needed a place to clear his mind and maybe seek some counsel from any hero records he could find.

After finding a few interesting hero-philosophy books, he sat himself down with his notebook at a table and began his engaging study of escape.

His table was one of the closest to the main entrance. A disadvantage for him.

A man with three tendrils growing out of his head and reconnecting on his back stepped in and began muttering to himself, loud enough for Izuku to hear what he was saying.

"Power, power, need power, book of power, book of power. It's in here I know it, I know it."

He put down his notebook and observed the man. First, he went to the front desk and asked a woman working there, probably about what he was muttering about.

"No no no, that's not a book we give away. I can't help you with that." She said.

He groaned in frustration then quickly raised his hand to her. And as quick as his hand was raised, a bright beam of green light blasted from his fingertips, knocking her loudly off her feet behind the desk.

Izuku quickly jumped up and hid behind the closest bookshelf. He peeked around to see the villain staring directly at him. "Hey kid. C'mere a second." He invited.

Izuku remained silent and still in his hiding place.

"Hey heyyyy. How bout I make a deal. You looked like someone who comes here often. How's bout you help me find a certain book in a little...forbidden section. And I don't blast you too. How's that sound?" He asked as he stepped closer and closer to the bookshelf.

The shelf itself was adjacent to the rows of bookshelves that lined the library, just enough to be out of the villain's line of view.

"Hey don't sweat it, kid. My name is Nucleon. And my quirk is reactor. Energy absorption and emmission. What's yours?"

Izuku quickly ran from the bookshelf to the aisles.

Nucleon heard his footsteps and blasted the shelves between them. "You can't hide from me forever, kid!"

He continued to run down the aisles hearing more and more shelves blasted to dust. "KIIIIID!"


	7. Chapter 7: Planning Ahead

As soon as the Uraraka's saw the live news report on the television about an ongoing hostage situation at the local library, Ochaco had disappeared.

She was already running out of the apartment complex and down the road.

Despite the distance, her adrenaline pushed her far in a remarkably quick amount of time. But that didn't stop her from panting hard and slowing down reaching the corner that touched the library entrance. She couldn't get any closer seeing the amount of police cars and officers lining the street in front.

"I have to get Deku out of there." The zero gravity-quirked girl thought.

Ochaco then analyzed the library and went around the sides eyeing each of the windows, vents, and any other various openings she could see. Just as she spotted an old emergency escape ladder leading up to the roof, she heard a familiar booming voice.

"FEAR NOT! I am here now!"

She peeked back around the corner to see, and it definitely was, the hero All Might. He stood proudly with his chest puffed out and his fists on his hips.

"Alright, Nucleon! Time's up in there! Let the people inside go or I'll have to come in myself!" He warned loudly.

Ochaco looked down then hid back out of sight. "Hostage situations are tricky, even for heroes like All Might. Maybe if he challenges the villain, I can grab Deku in the process." She thought to herself out loud.

She didn't wait for that to happen, she was still worried about the current state of her friend inside. And so she ran to the ladder and began to climb it when she quickly felt it creak. Upon closer inspection revealed it was covered in rust and obviously hadn't been used in years, therefore the sudden weight thrown on was started to give in.

She tried to jump back but wasn't fast enough and fell with half of the out-of-commission ladder to the hard ground.

Ochaco gasped as she felt the air in her chest get thrown out. She continued to gasp and cough but fought herself as she rolled over and slowly got to her feet. "I really don't want to do this..."

Once she finally caught her breath again, she pulled her pink gloves off each of her hands and touched her side. Her body grew weightless and before she lifted off the ground completely, she used her legs to lift off with a greater speed up the side of the library.

"OH PLEASE WORK PLEASE WORK PLEASE WORK!" She shouted as she readied herself to release.

Just as she passed the rooftop, she pressed her fingers together and felt herself successfully regain the feeling of gravity. She fell and landed on her feet clumsily on the rough library roof.

Ochaco took a moment to celebrate her first time willingly controlling her quirk then ran to the roof access door. "Oh please be unlocked. Please!" She grabbed the doorknob and it swung open. "YES!" She cheered quietly.

Meanwhile still inside and still hidden, Midoriya sat still hugging his knees in the children's literature section surrounded by slightly shorter shelves but still good enough cover. Yet, he could still hear the villain russling around throughout the library. His groans and book tossing echoed everywhere. The acoustics gave off an eerie feeling, making it hard to discern where he was.

Thankfully, he gave up searching for Midoriya and any of the other few library guests and began his search for a book he was asking about.

"AHA! FOUND IT!" He shouted.

"Last warning, Nucleon! Come out now or I'm going in!" All Might's voice boomed from outside.

Izuku Midoriya sat up and widened his eyes. "What am I doing? Th-that's All Might's voice! I shouldn't be hiding! I should be doing my part to be a future hero and stopping Nucleon!"

He confidently stood up. "Nucleon! Stop what you're doing and listen to All Might before you regret it!"

"OH YEAH?! AND JUST WHAT WILL YOU DO IF I DON'T COMPLY?!" He shouted.

Midoriya remained silent and began to creep down one of the aisles. Just as he came across an opening in the bookshelves, he turned and bumped right into the villain.

"AHH!" He shouted.

Nucleon quickly planted his hand over Izuku's mouth.

"Shhhh." He said putting a finger to his mouth. "You're a fan of All Might, right? I figured you are since every teenage boy is. Well, you're gonna be my ticket outta here. The thing about a hostage situation is, you don't get your way unless you make legitimate threats to the innocent." His mouth curled into a wide, wicked smile.

Izuku saw his eyes. His irises were a fluorescent green, glowing with white pupils. His veins seemed to glow green when they popped out.

"But first. Let's see what kinda quirk you got here." His hand stayed on Midoriya's mouth while his other hand cupped the side of his head.

Midoriya could feel energy draining from his body, his head grew light and he almost passed out until Nucleon let go.

"Bah! Weak! I struck some bad luck with you. Quirkless."

Just when he thought his confidence about that topic couldn't be any more shattered. "No matter. You can still be use to me, kid."

Ochaco stood on an upper level from the stairway overlooking the open, echoing side of the library. She could see the damages and various people hiding in between the untouched shelves. Then she saw the villain holding Izuku by his arm and his mouth. "Oh no..." She whispered to herself.

Quickly, she looked around and crept to a lower level with a few bookcases still higher than the aisles. She then got an idea seeing how they weren't attached to the ground other than miniature wheels locked in place. She began tapping the heavy bookcases when after about two, she felt incredibly sick in her stomach.

Despite the aching feeling in her gut, she had to continue. She lifted the bookcases up and pushed them in the direction above Nucleon. But it felt the longer the bookcases stayed weightless, the more sick she became. "Just hold out a few minutes..." She assured herself.

At that moment, All Might burst through the front doors. "NUCLEON!"


	8. Chapter 8: Salvation Cometh

"ALL MIGHT?! I-IT'S REALLY ALL MIGHT!" Izuku screamed.

"Stay right where you are, All Might!" Nucleon roared at the hero. "Move any closer and I'll french fry this little freak!"

All Might stopped in his tracks and stood tall with his hands up in a temporary surrender. "What are you doing at the library, Nucleon? Late on your class readings again?" He quipped.

"Oh, nothing important now. I got what I needed. So if you just let me exit through those doors, I'll be on my way and maybe I'll let this brat go." He said.

"D-don't listen to him, All Might!" Izuku shouted.

All Might continued to try questioning the villain as Ochaco limped through the library keeping watch over the two floating heavy objects that slowly drifted above the scene. She was too distracted by her aching stomach to determine where to let go.

"Let me go or I'll kill this kid!" Nucleon yelled.

All Might relaxed himself and his smile grew a little bigger. "Heh. Alright." And with immeasurable speed to match his incredible power, he lunged at the two, targeting Nucleon and strategizing how to separate them faster than his lasers could harm Midoriya.

But in that same moment, Ochaco pressed her fingers together and vomited all over the library floor behind them.

Before anyone could react to anything, a book shelf slammed on top of Nucleon's head and another slammed on All Might. Izuku was knocked down in between the two and the rubble that covered them.

Ochaco dry-heaved despite her stomach being emptied all on the ground and she only felt a little better. Just enough to force herself to stand up again and move quickly to Midoriya. She moved a few books and wooden boards out of the way and yanked her friend up.

He had been knocked out from the force but he appeared to not have any visible wounds aside from a few bruises on his arms.

"Sorry, Izu!" She cried out as she tugged his body away from the mess and towards the front door.

"YOU! DUMB! BRAT!"

Ochaco turned them both just enough to see Nucleon ripping himself out from under the heavy shelf. His head was bleeding but his body glowed a furiously bright green.

"I'm gonna... blast... the biggest hole right through you!" He breathed.

Just as he took a step forward, All Might's hand grabbed his ankle. "N-not so fast, Nucleon!" He said.

Ochaco took the opportunity to drag her friend to the door.

Nucleon groaned and reached down to grab All Might's hand. Although he didn't force it off his ankle. "You want to play the hands game, do ya? Well... I could use some of that power ya got."

All Might groaned and forced himself to break out of the bookshelf in defense but as he did so, he began to feel his energy draining from his body.

Nucleon suddenly perked up wickedly happy. "Holy shit... HOLY SHIT THIS IS INCREDIBLE!" He laughed loudly and suddenly ripped All Might up, immediately following by blasting him in the torso with a powerful laser beam.

He laughed some more observing his glowing hands as All Might fell back. "This is awesome. This power... Ho...ly..."

Ochaco quickly pulled herself and Izuku out the front doors in front of dozens of police and a few more pro-heroes. As they descended the library steps, the front doors exploded with a green titled concentrated blast that traveled up and down the side of the building, ripping it apart and vaporizing anything in its path.

"GET THOSE TWO OUT OF HERE!" A hero shouted grabbing Ochaco and Izuku and practically tossing them to the nearest police.

Two officers grabbed the children and carried them to an ambulance nearby just as Nucleon emerged from the collapsing library.

"I'M GONNA WALK OUT OF HERE AND YOU'RE NOT GONNA STOP ME!" He roared in laughter as his body glowed a bright green.

Police fired their pistols at him but the bullets disintegrated centimeters from his body.

"NOTHING CAN STOP ME WITH THE POWER OF ALL MIGHT COURSING THROUGH MY VEINS!"

"Nothing except All Might himself, of course." A weakened but immovable voice spoke behind him.

Nucleon looked around to see a fist launch right into his jaw. He stumbled back and rubbed his chin as blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.

"You can take as much power as you want, but I have no limit to my energy." The hero said with a smile. "So no matter how much you absorb from me, you'll still be beatable. So I suggest you surrender now."

Nucleon didn't heed his words. He blasted All Might at close range, but All Might quickly leapt to the side and lunged toward the villain. He punched him once again in the chest and sent his body down the library steps.

The big hero marched down after him and planted his foot on Nucleon's chest. "Stay down, son. If you know what's good for you. You're lucky no one was killed today."

"I'm...not...done yet!" The villain squirmed underneath him. He reached out toward Ochaco and Izuku being pulled into the ambulance and blasted it.

"NO!" All Might screamed.

Just as the vehicle exploded, Izuku and Ochaco jumped out the door with torn and burnt clothes. Izuku had reacted quick enough to throw them to safety.

"Those...brats..."

All Might quickly turned back to the villain in anger. "Stop fighting. That energy inside you is too much for your body. You're growing weak."

"I'm...not...done YET!" His body erupted in a green light that blinded the scene and launched everything in close range back quite a few meters, even police cars. What followed was a deafening boom that caused a ringing to be heard in the ears of everyone still conscious.

All Might was planted in the library steps, sore but not hurt badly. He left an imprint as he sat up to inspect the scene. All the closest officers had been vaporized. Nearby officers and the pro-heroes were visibly burned down to their skins. Ash and black soot started to snow down.

Where the villain was laying was nothing more than a black streak on the ground that bloomed out in all directions across the pavement.

As he watched the remaining paramedics escort the children off, something made him go back up and inspect the library for clues. One of the first things he saw at a broken nearby table was an All Might styled journal labeled "Notes to Become a Hero".


	9. Chapter 9: Confirmation

The hospital gave the two minorly injured friends a shared room with the curtain pulled back. And since their injuries were minor, they were due to leave that evening.

Until then, Midoriya looked over at Ochaco. She was laying back facing the ceiling with her eyes closed. He felt his face grow hot watching her. He cleared his throat. "Ochaco-san?"

She stirred, turning her head toward him on her pillow and opening her eyes. "Yes, Izuku?"

"I... I want to thank you for... for helping me back there...but..." He sighed.

She sat up. "Before you continue... I should also tell you something. A-about the other day... When I told you..." She bit her lip as she felt a sob come in. Tears built in her eyes. "I yelled at you that you aren't a hero and will never be..."

"Th-that's what I was going to tell you... I want to be a hero more than anything. But Kacchan is right about me... I-I think... You haven't been helping me reach those goals. I don't mean about what you said. I'm referring to just how you treat me and don't realize it." Tears started to form in his own eyes.

"Izuku..."

"I want to be friends with you, Ochaco but... You're holding me back. Like everyone else." He clenched his fists. "S-so maybe we should take a break."

"MR. MIDORIYA AND MS. URARAKA!"

Both of the preteens screamed in their beds as none other than the hero All Might entered their room with his enormous hands out.

"I-i-i-i-t..." Izuku stuttered.

"I am here because I wanted to personally thank you for your bravery in helping me stop Nucleon!" He said while facing Ochaco. He then turned to Izuku. "And I happened to find this in the rubble at the library. Still in good shape, young lad!" He said now holding Midoriya's study journal. He reached out to hand it over to the boy.

Izuku sat there staring at his outstretched hand holding his journal.

"...Come on, young man. I don't have all day."

"R-right right!" He snatched the journal from him. "Y-you didn't...look through it, did you?"

"Ha! Of course not! I respect your privacy but I admire your sketches of me on the cover." All Might smiled folding his arms.

"I hope you are considering attending UA for high school in a few years!" He said mostly facing Ochaco. "I look forward to seeing bright youngsters like yourselves become heroes someday! Until then, stay safe, kids. Freaks like Nucleon are everywhere. But you're safe now! Take care!"

Izuku practically jumped out of his bed. "W-wait All Might! There's something I need to tell you!"

"Believe me, son! I wish I could stay and chat some more but I really must be on my way!" He saluted back as he charged out the door. Midoriya was in hot pursuit.

"I HAVE ONE QUESTION THEN I'LL LET YOU GO! PLEASE!"

All Might expressed his impatience loudly with a groan as he stopped himself. Izuku slamming into his back, of course not affecting him, but bouncing the boy on his back.

He caught his breath and took one more deeply. "All Might... I am quirkless... Everyone in my life has tried to tear down my faith but I want nothing more than to be a hero..." He raised his head and looked into the old hero's sunken eyes. "Could I ever be a hero like you?"

The hero lowered his head in silent thought. "My boy... I'm afraid that's not possible for you." He got down on one knee and wiped Izuku's tears from his eyes. "If you can't be the hero to save people, be the hero who's a friend to them. Like that girl. She may have rescued you like a damsel in distress. But she risked her life and pushed limits to her quirk she's probably never done before at her age. Heroes need friends too."

Izuku nodded yet he continued to cry.

All Might shook his head. "I'm sorry, young Midoriya. But I suggest you stay in the market for other opportunities."

He stood back up, rushed out the hospital doors and jumped up, launching himself high in the air already far away.

"That kid... He knows his heroes. But he just doesn't have what it takes to be one..." All Might thought to himself as he landed across the city and continued on.

As he landed again, he stopped. The atmosphere seemed still and quiet. He found himself by an old abandoned warehouse by the docks. "That's strange."

His suspicions were correct but it was too late to avoid it. A large green light burst into his back, launching his body through the warehouse wall. He tumbled for a moment then caught himself and looked back where the laser came from.

Laughter echoed through the warehouse as he watched Nucleon enter through the hole his body left. "With power like yours... Flowing through my body, did you think something like that would have killed me?!"

"It should have. Your quirk can't handle dispersing that much energy in every direction." All Might frowned.

"It could if it was energy from a being who radiates pure...endless...power." The villain smiled wickedly. "The blast was just a good cover to escape, and better yet to fake my death!"

"Well, you've escaped. Killing four police officers as well. Now you're here exposing yourself to me."

"Not like I had a choice." He said looking down at his hands, the glow dimming down until it disappeared entirely.

"I was waiting for you. You see, now I just barely blasted you like that. All your power I stole has run out. But if I could get you in a position that you can't escape me... Well then there's nothing really to worry about, is there?"

"Good luck trying to hold me still. You won't lay a finger on me!" All Might roared and charged him.

Nucleon laughed and charged towards him with his hands out, fingers curled.


	10. Chapter 10: Hot Wind in the Cool Air

Ochaco was sleeping in the next day. Any chance she got, she loved taking the occasional nap to give her an extra refresher. Midoriya however, had stayed up the night before studying. But he wasn't studying about hero history or statistics. He was studying All Might's leap.

Particularly his leap away from the hospital the other day. He sat at his desk muttering to himself out loud with a pen in his mouth as he wrote out the trajectory, wind speeds, and direction of the leap. The reason for this? He wanted to find where he had disappeared to.

He wasn't going to give up on his dream. And it was at this point that he knew he needed to prove himself. No Kacchan. No Ochaco-san. Just him.

It's been two days since the hospital visit from his hero and yet nothing has happened with him that the news covered. No bank robberies, no car thefts, no terrorist attacks. Nothing. Of course All Might's biggest quirkless fan was concerned. But that wasn't the only reason he wanted to track him down either.

"Got it!" He said standing up out of his chair. He tapped on the map of his city on his phone and zoomed in across town to the old warehouse plaza by the docks. "That's where he landed. Maybe it's his secret hideout!"

Izuku got dressed and grabbed his notebook, tucking it into his side pocket. He then made his way to the front door when his mother called from her room. "Izuku! Where are you going?"

"I... I'm gonna see what Ochaco is up to and probably go to the park!" He called back.

"Ok but be back before dark! I got some good new sushi from the market today and I want to try it with you!"

"Love you, Mom!" Izuku said then walked out silently. He crept past the Uraraka residence and quickly ran down the steps.

Ochaco was awoken to the sound of footsteps on the stairs.

As Izuku now passed by the park on his way, he noticed Bakugou sitting alone at one of the park benches and stopped himself. Something made him think about their friendship again. Before Ochaco moved in and before Kacchan gained his quirk, they were pretty good friends. Although he was still the type to be popular and do anything to get there, he and Midoriya had a brotherly bond.

Katsuki would tease him, yes. And he was a bit pushy. But he once stood up for Midoriya against bullies. And Midoriya had his back. They both came to love All Might together and made their decisions to both become heroes.

Izuku wouldn't think about why Kacchan changed and about the ever-growing rift between them.

"Katsuki." He said.

The boy sat up and turned around. His eyes were red and his cheeks looked stained. "The hell do you want?"

"I want your help." Izuku said.

Bakugou rolled his eyes and turned back away.

"It's about All Might. I think I may know where his hideout could be."

He disregarded the idea and kept staring off ahead.

"I saw where he disappeared to the other day. Down by the old warehouse district by the docks. I was thinking, you want to be a hero. And I want to be a hero. Maybe this could be our chance if we go talk to him in person about it."

Bakugou stood up and turned to Izuku. "Don't talk to me, you stupid...pathetic jerk."

"I want to fix what I've broken with you! We both chose to become heroes together, Kacchan. We should get that chance together!" Izuku yelled.

"You could never be a hero, Deku! At first I saw how weak you are. But the more I look back, the more I see it wasn't just your weakness." Katsuki hissed.

"I didn't tell Ochaco about this." The green haired boy said sternly.

That made Bakugou raise his eyebrow. "What are you trying to prove?"

"That I don't need anyone to carry me. To be a hero means I have to fight my own battles..."

"Then why are you talking to me?" He folded his arms impatiently.

"Not because I need you but because I want you to have a chance too." Midoriya said.

"I'll get my chance." Bakugou hissed. He began to walk away from the scene. "Plenty more chances than you, weakling!" He yelled without looking back.

Izuku stamped his foot. "Fine! Continue to be stubborn and angry! It doesn't scare me anymore!"

Bakugou swung his head around to give Izuku a very intimidating death glare, which did make him step back. But he remained composed. "No matter what you do, you'll always be nothing compared to me."

Midoriya sighed and waited for his old friend to walk a distance away before turning back to his desired direction. "That's where you're wrong, Kacchan."

He continued his journey jogging to the warehouse district and looked around for anything out of the ordinary. "Would a hero really hide out here, now that I think of it?"

He snuck around a few corners and peeked through a few windows in some of the warehouses for anything. But he found no light sources, no open doors, nothing that looked like it had been used or even touched in a few years at least.

The boy sighed again, feeling disappointment build up in the back of his mind. He kicked at a loose piece of concrete on the ground and it chipped away and tumbled until it hit the closest warehouse wall.

He could hear footsteps coming his way. In the moment, he didn't want to be caught there when he hadn't gotten far enough to finding All Might. He quickly looked around and dashed behind a few empty wood crates.

The figure that emerged, running to the area was none other than Nucleon himself.

Izuku's eyes widened very big in shock.

"Hmmm. Hopefully that was a cat or a bird or something. Can't afford any visitors at this hour." The villain grumbled to himself. His body was glowing a brighter green than ever before. So much energy flowed within him than the fur trim on his jacket flowed to an imaginary wind pulsing from his veins.

He looked around with his glowing eyes but after a brief search, he retreated back. Midoriya watched him enter that same warehouse. He seemed to be in a hurry because he didn't find Midoriya simply hiding inside the crate.


	11. Chapter 11: Being a Hero

Izuku tiptoed around following Nucleon as he climbed back into the same warehouse, through a broken door.

Nucleon marched back over and sat down next to a sickly skinny man with long messy blonde hair, two big strands dangled in front of his sunken face. His body was covered in chains and burns.

"Have I asked if you like reading?" Nucleon asked.

"Yes, you have when you first started reading that book yourself." He gestured to the same book Nucleon stole from the library he had picked up in his glowing hands.

"Ah yes yes. Well, this is a fine read! It's a Mythology book."

"I can't believe that one of the few villains to ever subdue me is a religious nutcase." The man sighed.

"Shush shush." Nucleon frowned. "You're not exactly in the best position to mock me."

"The Symbol of Peace gained inspiration from a land that celebrates freedom of speech. I think I'll say what I like." He smirked. But his smirk was quickly cut off as he began to cough up blood.

Izuku tiptoed from the door to behind a set of rotting boxes. "Well... I didn't find All Might but I did find that villain holding someone hostage."

"Just you wait until you're able to use your powers again." Nucleon frowned. "Then I can use mine."

"You'll get no where with me. I can only retain my powers for a few hours a day. Then I'm stuck like this the remainder." The chained man sighed. "You obviously need more time than that but you're too late with me."

Nucleon shook his head. "I can hold it. I only need the time you can give me. It should only take about an hour."

"You say that yet you keep losing the energy before you can finish your little Satanic ritual."

"There's nothing Satanic about it. I'm simply opening a doorway for my master." Nucleon stood and raised his hand in emphasis.

"That's what a Satanic cultist would say." The chained man rolled his blue eyes. "What even is so significant about your special god that you would need to open a portal to space for it?"

"I thought you'd never ask." Nucleon smiled.

"Neither did I." He sighed again.

Izuku took a deep breath. "You can do this. Be a hero. All Might...Ochaco...Kacchan...aren't here to see it but that doesn't matter. Do the right thing even when no one is watching!"

"I've heard enough!" The green haired boy shouted as he climbed on top of the boxes above the scene.

Nucleon immediately raised his hand to blast him stopped. "The brat from the library...?"

The skinny man in chains lowered his head as if in shame.

"My name is Deku! And I'm here to rescue that man from you!" Izuku proclaimed.

Nucleon chuckled loudly. "Y'know... Nothing I did to you was personal, kid. If I attacked you or threatened you, I just had a job to do then. Grab a book and get out like there's no tomorrow!"

He took a step toward the boxes. "Don't make me change my mind. Get your little ass down from there and walk away. You saw nothing. You say nothing."

Midoriya looked him in the eyes. Fear built up in his gut but he swallowed and kept his gaze unwavered. "I am a hero. And no matter how weak people say I am, no matter how laughable I look, I will do everything in my power to stop you." His face wiggled as a small smile grew on his lips showing his teeth.

The sickly skinny man in chains looked up at Midoriya and smiled. "That brave brave stupid kid."

Nucleon sighed and nodded at the chained hero's comment. "Sorry bout this, kid." He quickly raised his hand and blasted the boxes.

Izuku instinctively dodged the attack, jumping down from the pile. Unfortunately, he landed too hard and injured his leg.

Nucleon pointed his other hand at Midoriya. "I warned ya, kid. I gave you a chance. But you're just like so many other brats blinded by false gods like these." He gestured to the chained man in the back.

Midoriya forced himself to stand up, if not straight, at least on his feet. He groaned loudly as he did so. "You are weak."

His hand glowed a bright green. The light reflected off Midoriya's watery eyes. Then the light died.

Nucleon looked at his hand puzzled. Then looked up again. "Ah shit."

Izuku clenched his hands into fists and threw himself with his good leg at the villain.

Nucleon glared and reacted, countering his tackle with his own strength. He held the boy like a toddler. But his face was quickly met with Izuku's knuckles. They broke as they pressed deep and hard into the villain's jaw.

He roared in pain as he swung the boy around and let go, launching him into the remainder of the box pile. They smashed under the force of his impact, too old to really harm him more than a good hit.

Midoriya coughed and pulled himself up.

Nucleon marched over to him with anger building up in his eyes. "Any minute now, our friend here is gonna have his strength back. And when he does, I'm gonna use it to rip your atoms apart!"

Izuku looked over to the mentioned hero in chains. "I'm gonna get you out of here, I promise!"

He raised his fists again to fight the villain but quickly noticed a flash by his head.

Nucleon's face turned to surprise as a figure dressed in black slammed into him. An explosion erupted from the figure's hands that sent the villain flying until he hit the other end of the near-empty warehouse.

As Nucleon quickly got himself up and brushed off the attack, he felt something was wrong and quickly looked up to see a set of metal and boxes land on his head and cover his body.

The figure, wearing a black hoodie up to cover their face turned to Midoriya. "You." They hissed.

"Kacchan?!" Izuku asked.

"Don't call me that! DAMMIT!" He yelled.

Ochaco appeared behind and hugged Izuku, making him jump. "IZUKU!"

"O-Ochaco?! Both of you guys?!"

"Don't get any ideas, you moron! We're here because you said you found All Might!" Bakugou frowned, keeping his hood still up.

"I actually came here by myself to look for you." Ochaco admitted. "We ran into each other outside and teamed up to take out that villain."

"Y-you had control of your quirk! Like back at the library!" Izuku smiled. He looked down at her hands and her gloves were gone.

"YOU STUPID BRATS!" Nucleon roared. He burst from the pile of debris and stared down the three.

"Thanks to that explosion quirk, I got a little juice in me again." He smirked. He then rushed the preteens laughing maniacally.


	12. Chapter 12: The Cost of Heroism

Bakugou ran bravely to the incoming villain, Nucleon giving his own war-cry.

Ochaco pushed Izuku back and began to tap each of the old boxes from the pile beside them.

Nucleon continued to laugh as he grabbed Bakugou's hands.

The enraged blonde unleashed a massive explosion from his palms but the smoke and light cleared fast. He realized Nucleon was sucking the power through their connected hands and tried to pull away.

"Just a little more from you, boy." He snickered.

Katsuki yelled and threw his head forward against Nucleon's forehead. But no effect.

"My turn." Nucleon began to spin them both around and around faster and faster until he finally let go, throwing him off to the side.

He then raised his hands as they glowed green and blasted the boy before he could get back up from the hit.

"KACCHAN!" Izuku screamed.

"Izuku, stay back! This is too dangerous! I'll get him!" Ochaco shouted back. She then began to pick up the boxes and throw them toward Nucleon's direction.

"How many of those can you hold, little girl?" The villain smirked. He seemed to take his time taunting her, still finding no threat in these kids.

"Just enough to knock you out!" She glared.

"You sure about that? Those boxes look pretty old." Nucleon gave a sarcastic shrug.

Izuku picked up a small plank of wood and threw it at him. It flew a considerable distance and landed right next to his feet.

Nucleon turned from the plank back up to the leftover kids and chuckled. He then quickly raised his arm again and fired a laser beam in their direction.

Both kids ducked out of the way until he blasted at them again. Ochaco tried to dodge to the right but hit the pile of boxes and was struck with the blast that burned her skin and shirt.

"OCHACO!" Izuku called to her.

She collapsed to the ground as he scrambled to catch her. He quickly picked up her body. "Ochaco? Ochaco! Can you hear me?! Say something, do something! Please!"

"She ain't dead." Nucleon interrupted. He stood much closer to the two friends than before, pulling Bakugou's unconscious body with him. He tossed the blonde over to Izuku.

The sudden thud was enough to wake him up slowly. Ochaco also made a few low groaning sounds.

"Guys..." Izuku said looking back and forth between them. Tears began to fill his eyes.

"Face it, kid. This is the life of every hero. Surrounded by nothing but hate, pride, and pain. You can't save everyone so you'll always be in mourning. You can't please everyone so you'll always have enemies. You can't quench your thirst so you'll always be empty." Nucleon explained.

Izuku began to cry hard. "S-stop..."

Nucleon sighed. "To top it off. If you pursued this life like these two, you'd have to endure even more. All by yourself. To be quirkless in these days is basically to be less than human. No one would give you a chance. Why should I?"

Izuku raised his head. "I..." He cleared his throat and began to stand up before the villain. "I'm thankful...that you won't go easy on me..."

Nucleon raised his grey eyebrow.

"P-part of this path is the pain. Pain brings experience..." Midoriya said. His cheeks still flowed with tears but his eyes grew angry. "I don't care what it takes...how long it takes...even if no one believes in me..." He took a step forward and squared his chest. "I will become a hero no matter what it takes...because that's what true heroes do!"

Izuku quickly stepped forward again and threw his fist at Nucleon.

At the exact same time, another fist traveled beside his, hitting Nucleon straight in the head and throwing his body back.

Izuku looked back to see who threw that punch but the laughter that boomed from his savior already revealed who it was.

"Well done, young lad!"

"A-All Might?!" Izuku looked up at the towering hero behind him.

"I'll take it from here. You get your friends out and contact the police! Be their hero!" He ordered.

Izuku nodded and began to drag Bakugou and Ochaco by their arms to the exit. "Be careful!"

"Not to worry, young Midoriya! I fought this fiend before. I know his dirty tricks...and I am ready for them." He smiled wide.

"It ends here, smiling fool!" Nucleon shouted defiantly from across the room.

He aimed his arm at the three children moving to the exit but All Might was too quick and rushed the villain, knocking his arm off of aim and upper-cutting him in the chin.

Nucleon groaned loudly as his body shot up then landing hard.

His eyes shot open glowing green and hateful.

But All Might jumped on top of him, planting his knee on the villain's chest. "Your plans are foiled, as per usual. And now they'll stay that way."

"Not if those three brats are the next generation of heroes... The world is growing restless, All Might... Each new batch of 'villains' as you call them, are stronger than the last. You heroes can't keep up... And soon..." Nucleon laughed. "He will lead us to victory..."

All Might grunted and slammed his fists into Nucleon's face until his eyes shut and his face swelled in places.

"I have faith in those little heroes. Especially that Midoriya boy." The hero said standing up and relaxing himself.

Meanwhile, now outside, Izuku dragged Bakugou and Ochaco and sat them up against an empty crate.

"Dammit nerd... I had that." Bakugou sighed quietly.

Ochaco was also awake. "Izu...ku?..."

Izuku smiled and gave her a gentle hug. "Don't worry. I'm gonna call for help right now." He pulled back, immediately pulled out his phone, and began to request for authorities and ambulance to arrive.

"Deku..." Ochaco whispered.

He turned back to her to listen.

"I...I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry I doubt you sometimes... What friend am I to tell you you can't live your dream..."

"Ochaco I think you hit your head." Izuku frowned.

"Yeah, it ain't your fault he sucks." Bakugou sighed.

"I'm serious, Midoriya." She frowned at both of them. "It shouldn't have to take a life-threatening night like this one for me to realize you're just as worthy of being a hero as any of us... Maybe even a little more so..."

"It's okay, Ochaco." Izuku gave her a warm smile. "From now on, we do this together."

Bakugou scoffed loudly.

"I said we do this together, Kacchan." He repeated.

Bakugou looked over to him and for a moment seemed to take him seriously. He quickly brushed it off rolling his eyes. "You can't force me to third-wheel you dorks."

"No, we can't." Ochaco said. "But none of us can do this alone."

"Maybe not as friends...but, allies?" Izuku asked.

"...Fine. Also, fuck you."


	13. Chapter 13: End

The police and ambulance pulled up to the scene only a few minutes later.

All Might marched out of the warehouse carrying Nucleon's unconscious body straight to the police.

Midoriya knew to mention the villain by name in the call, because they made sure to come prepared with a heavy-duty steel truck.

Men in full-body combat gear jumped out and practically covered Nucleon in restraints then dragged him inside and hauled him off in less than a minute.

All Might talked to some officers that stayed behind but kept his eyes on the group of friends being tended to by the paramedics.

Midoriya sat in between Bakugou and Ochaco each wearing a blanket. They occasionally looked at each other but all stayed silent.

Paramedics inspected them and wrapped various bruises and cuts in bandages and patches.

"You are some of the luckiest kids." One female paramedic sighed.

Ochaco grabbed Izuku's hand and wrapped her fingers in his.

He smiled feeling her rest her head on his shoulder.

Bakugou rolled his eyes. "You two are going to be the death of me."

The three were then left alone as a shadow cast itself upon them. They looked to see All Might with his arms crossed.

After a moment of silence, he spoke. "How old are you three?"

"12."

"12, All Might-sensei."

"12, sir."

He nodded then knelt down to their level. "As concerned and angry as I have to be with you kids, I'm also very happy and proud that you held your own together for as long as you did. Thanks to you buying time, I was able to rescue that man in the chains and finish off Nucleon myself properly."

Izuku and Ochaco smiled while Bakugou simply nodded.

"Mister All Might." Ochaco said. "I want you to know that even though you may just see me and Katsuki here as future heroes, please pay attention to my-...Izuku here. He may be quirkless but that doesn't mean he doesn't have the heart to be a hero like the rest of us. Please give him that hope again..."

"Miss Uraraka. Believe me. He has proven my words wrong. Perhaps there is a chance for him... There is always hope." He ran his hand up one of his long bangs of hair that shot up like rabbit ears. "I'll be checking in with you three every now and then. I expect each of you to be better. And it looks like being the childhood friends you are, you each know just what is best."

Ochaco and Izuku smiled bigger. Izuku had tears in his eyes again. "Thank you so much, All Might!"

All Might turned away. "Geez, is this kid always this teary-eyed?" He asked himself. He then turned to their third friend Bakugou.

"Good luck trying to talk me into anything. I've had a pretty crappy day." The blonde barked.

All Might chuckled. "Good work, fellow hero." He planted his hand on Bakugou's head and ruffled his hair, much to his sudden discomfort. "Just remember that this world needs its heroes to bring smiles to people's faces. Not tears."

Bakugou wanted to shout at him but stopped himself and sat back in a huff. He lowered his head then nodded again. "Alright."

"You wanna give me a smile now?" All Might smiled wide with a big thumbs up.

"Don't push your luck, old man!" He snapped.

"Eugh! Alright alright." The hero bounced up and looked back down at the kids again. "Well. Duty calls! Good luck, little heroes!" And with that he turned around and gave himself a running start before he leapt off into the sky.

Ochaco nuzzled her head on Izuku's shoulder. "Our parents are gonna kill us." She giggled.

Izuku laughed. "Yeah. They will."

"Geez, do you two always force everything to sound so positive?" Bakugou groaned.

"If you'd like to stick with us, you're gonna have to get used to it!" Ochaco shrugged.

"Only if you stop being all cuddly-kissy and crap to each other."

Izuku and Ochaco looked at each other then blushed and tore away to their own personal spaces. "Right, right."

Izuku turned his attention to the sunrise. Soon they followed his gaze.

"Guys, it's time we worked to become heroes."

THE END


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